Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, 1 October 1988 Edition 02 — Message From Lieutenant Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Message From Lieutenant Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano

1988 is an election year that will occupy a special plaee in Hawaii's history. This has been a year to remember because it united government, business, community organizations and devoted individuats in a single cause: to increase voter participation in the democratic process. The legislature responded by appropriating funds for an unprecedented advertising campaign that has helped increase public awareness in this year's elections. State government and business across Hawaii joined forces in the ambitious "New lnitiatives" voter registration campaign, Iinvolving more than 200 businesses and government offices across the state. Those efforts, as well as OHA's registration push, and the work of more than 2,000 deputy ■ voter registrars reversed a serious decline in I

voter registration. For the first time in a decade, Hawai'i posted an increase in the percent of registered voters in the voting age population. The community's response surged during last month's primary election, when nearly 66 percent of Hawaii's registered voters turned out at the polls. That was significantly higher than the 56 percent turnout in 1984, the last presidential election year. Your involvement in the electoral process has set precedents in 1 988. On November 8th, your continuing involvement ean help begin a new trend toward greater citizen participation in our democratic process. Aloha, Benjamin J. Cayetano Lieutenant Governor